Detectives need thorough training to be effective
An Aug. 29 Sun- Times editorial rightly criticized the low rate at which Chicago’s Police Department solves murders. While it acknowledges Chicago needs more detectives to keep up, nothing was said about the skill set that distinguishes competent detectives to start with.
Simply promoting street cops to detective does not magically endow them with the abilities of Sherlock Holmes. Yet that’s apparently how it’s been done, whether based on seniority, clout or whatever. The title alone does not a good detective make. As examples, note Jon Burge; or the detectives who mishandled the David Koschman manslaughter case, caving to political pressures instead of following orthodox procedure.
The process begs for greater scrutiny. In its 2016 investigation, the Department of Justice criticized the sad state of police procedures, guidelines and training here, some of which have not been updated in 30 years. Might this include detective selection and training? Is favoritism over ability involved? That Department of Justice critique has not yet been made public.
The process is more opaque than is healthy for our city’s murder solution rate. Of course, appoint enough detectives to match the workload. But unless objectivity and logic are foremost in the selection process, even improved training may not pay off, and the solution rate may remain dismal. If, as the editorial said, New York solved 80 percent of its murders while Chicago solved only 29 percent, first study the New York approach to speed improvement and close the gap. Ted Z. Manuel, Hyde Park
Balbo vs. Trump
In regard to disparaging Italo Balbo: President Donald Trump ( I have a T- shirt that states “. . . he is not my president”) is an avowed racist. No one is complaining about his Chicago hotel and condos being in our great city! Frank Keating, Cicero
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